Friction-clutch mechanism.



J. M. MICHAELSON.

FRICTION CLUTCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED 00'1'.20.1913.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1.

#Wirmw 5 Patentd Dec. 22, 1914.

J. M. MI'CHAELSON. FRICTION CLUTCH MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED OCT. 20. 1913.

1, 1 22,020, Patented Dec. 22, 1914.

2 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH iii. MICHAELSON, or ma'nmram, mNNEso'rA.

FRICTION-CLUTCH mecmm'sn.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. MICHAEL- SON, a citizen of theUnited'States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county of Hennepin andState of Minnesota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inFriction-Clutch Mechanism; and I do hereby declare-the following to be afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it app-ertains to make and use thesame.

My invention has for its object to provide an improved friction clutchmechanism espe cially adapted for use in the transmission mechanism ofamotorcycle, but adapted for use for more general use. The invention isdirected particularly, to an improved clutch actuating mechanism for usein connection with so-called multiple-disk clutches, and the inventionprovides an extremely simple and highly efficient clutch actuatingmechanism in which the clutch actuating mechanism proper is brought intoa very compact arrangement and close association with both the clutchand the various gears of the transmission mechanism, all being inclosedwithin a common casing.

In the accompanying drawings which illustrate the invention, likecharacters indicate like parts throughout the several views. Referringto the drawings: Figure 1 is a horizontal section taken centrallythrough the multiple-disk clutch, clutch actuating mechanism and variousgears, and the gear casing of the transmission mechanism of amotorcycle; Fig. 2 is a detail view in side elevation showing themultiple disk clutch mechanism; and Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view partlyin plan and partly in horizontal section showing the clutch actuatingsleeve and associated parts of the clutch actuating mechanism.

The gear casing, which is of the conventional or any suitableconstruction, is indicated as an entirety by the numeral 1.

The numeral 2 lndicates one of the disklike cranks, and the numeral 3the wrist pin of the engine crank shaft, the body of which is not shown,but may be of the usual or any suitable construction. This crankdisk 2is rigidly secured to a journal 4, which, in accordance with myinvention, is made in the form of a tube or sleeve, and by a suitableball bearing device 5, is journaled in the partition wall of thecasing 1. A clutch hub 6, surrounds the outwardly projecting endSpecification of Letters Patent.

of the crank shaft journal 4; and is caused to rotate therewith, by akey 7, or other suitable means. A flanged bushing 8 is screwed into theouter end of the journal 4, and its flange holds the hub 6 againstoutward -movement, while its tubular end affords a base of reaction fora clutch actuating spring 9 that is placed within the tubular ournal 4.A spring adjusting plunger 10 is extended through the coiled spring 9and 1s provided at its inner end with a head, against which the saidspring re-acts. The outwardly projecting end of the plunger 10 isthreaded at 10 and appliedthereon, are inner and outer nuts, or threadedcollars 11 and 12. These nuts 11 and 12 are preferably formed withnotched outer faces so that they may be locked in different adjustmentsby means of pins 13 passed through the thread- Patented Dec. 22, 1914'.Application filed October 20, 1913. Serial No. 796,173.

ed end 10 of the plun er l0, and set in certain of the notches o thesaid nuts. This plunger, as clearly shown in the drawings, extendsthrough the flanged bushing 8.

The clutch hub 6 has an outwardly projecting cylindrical flange 14provided with circumferentially spaced notches 15. Loosely j ournaled onthe clutch hub 6 is a spur gear 16 that is integrally formed, orotherwise, securedfor rotation with a clutch plate 17 which, as shown,has diametrically opposite laterally projecting driving lugs 18. Asshown, the so-called clutch plates 17 are polygonal in outline, but thisfeature is immaterial. The friction disks 19 and 20 are alternated, andthe disks 19 are provided with notches in which the driving lugs 18 ofthe. clutch plate 17 engage to cause them to rotate with the said clutchplate. The disks 20 at their inner edges, pro ect into the notches 15 ofthe hub 6, so that they. are caused to rotate with the said hub.

A presser head 21 is seated for lateral movements on the plunger 10 andis provided with radially projecting arms that fit in the notches 15 ofthe hub 6, so that the said presser head and hub and the disks 20 arecaused to partake of a common rotation. The projecting arms of thepresser head 21 overlap and engage the outermost disk 20. The innerthrust nut 11 engages the presser head 20, so that normally, the spring9 exerts a force tending to hold the disks 19 and 20 in tight frictionalengagement; and when the disks are thus set or held, the gear 16 will becaused to rotate with the crank shaft and its journal 4. Obviously,

when the spring 9 is compressed, so as to.

as required to drive the wheels of a motorcycle. 7

Here it may be stated that instead of the gear 16, which, from a broadpoint of view is a driving Wheel, might be a sprocket wheel, groovedpulley or frictional driving wheel. However, as shown, it meshes with agear 22 that constitutes part of the transmission mechanism notnecessary for the purpose of this case to further trace. It may,however, be noted that, as shown, the gear 22 is journaled, by ballbearings 23, on a stud 24 secured to the central partition of the gearcase 1.

Means has now been described, whereby the multiple-disk clutch will benormally set, and this means includes the novel arrangement of thespring within the tubular or hollow journal of the crank shaft, and thecooperative arrangement-of the-springcompressing plunger.

The novel means for moving the plunger 10 is a'direction to compress thespring 9 to thus release the clutch disks from pressure will now bedescribed.

Surrounding the threaded outer end 10 of the plunger 10 is a clutchactuating sleeve 25 provided with external threads 26 that work in theadjacent wall of the gear casing 1, being, as shown, directly engagedwith the internal threads of a bushing 27 that is screwed into the saidgear casing- This sleeve 25 is provided at its inner end with aninwardly projecting flange, against which is seated the inner ring 28 ofa thrust resisting ball bearing device made up of two of such rings andinterposed bearing balls 29. The outer thrust nut 12 acts against theouter bearing ring 28, either directly or; indirectly, but, as shown,through an inter-, posed'washer 30. Rigidly but adjustably clamped onthe outer end of the sleeve25 is an arm 31 which is connected through asuitable rod 32 to a lever, not shown, or to some other suitable primaryoperating de-- vice. The hub of the arm 31, as shown, is in the form ofa-split collar, the ends of which are clamped together by a bolt 33, sothat the said arm may be secured on the said sleeve 25 in differentadjustments. Preferably, the outer end of the sleeve 25 is closed by acap 34, shown as screwed into the same.

As is evident, an oscillatory movement of the arm 31 and clutchactuating sleeve 25 in one direction, will cause the said sleeve to moveinward while an oscillatory movement in the opposite direction willcause the same to move outward. WVhen the sleeve 25 is moved inward, thespring 9 will be rendered operative through the plunger 10,

thrust nut 11 and clamping head 21, to set the clutch in a manneralready noted. When, however, the sleeve 25 is moved outward, it willmove the plunger 10 outward with it and compress the spring 9, tothereby relieve the disks 19 and 20 from pressure, and thus open theclutch. In practice, I have found about one-eighth rotation of thesleeve 25 is suflicient to set and release the clutch.

The tension under which the spring,9 will act to set the clutch, may bevaried by adjustments of the inner thrust nut 11; and when the nut 11 isadjusted, if the same relation of parts is to be maintained, the outerthrust nut 12 should be correspondingly adjusted.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with driving" and driven members, one of which istubular, of a wheel journaled around said tubular member and providedwith a clutch plate,

a spring seated in said tubular member, a plunger connected to saidspring and extending therefrom out of said tubular member, a clampinghead connected to said plunger, cotiperating clutch disks interposedbetween said clutch plate and clamping head with alternate membersarranged to move with said clutch plate and tubular member, and aspirally movable clutch actuated collar surrounding the outer end ofsaid plunger and having a swivel connection therewith arranged topositively move said plunger against the tension of said spring torelease the clutch.

2. The combination with driving and driven members, one of which istubular,

with alternate members arranged to move Withsaid clutch plate andtubular member, a spirally movable clutch actuating collar surroundingthe outer end of said plunger and having a swivel connection therewitharranged to positively move said plunger against the tension of saidspring to release the clutch, and an arm ad ustably connected to saidcollar for oscillating the same.

The combination with driving and driven members, one of which istubular, a friction clutch for connecting the said members, and clutchactuating mechanism. including a spring located in said tubular member,a plunger subject to said spring and extended therefrom out of the saidtubular member, a clutch actuating member connected to said lunger andsubject to said spring, an ad usting clutch actuating collar surroundingthe outer end of said plunger, and an anti-friction thrust bearingaffording a swivel connection between said plunger and collar. I

4. The combination with driving and driven members, one of which istubular, a friction clutch for connecting the said members, and clutchactuating mechanism including a spring located in said tubular member, aplunger subject to said spring and extended therefrom out of the saidtubular member, a clutch actuating member connected to said olunger andsubject to said spring, an adjusting clutch actuating collar surroundingthe outer end of said plunger, and an anti-friction thrust bearingaffording a swivel connection between said plunger and collar, theconnections between said plunger and thrust bearing and between saidplunger and clutch actuating member being adjustable longitudinally ofsaid plunger.

5. The combination with driving and driven members, one of which istubular, a

friction clutch for connecting the said members, and clutch actuatingmechanism including a spring located in said tubular member, a plungersubject to said spring and extended therefrom out ,of the said tubularmember, a clutch actuating member connected to said plunger and subjectto said spring, an adjusting clutch actuating collar surrounding theouter end of said plunger, an anti-friction thrust bearing afl'ording aswivel connection between said plunger and collar, the connectionsbetween said plunger and thrust bearing and between said plunger andclutch actuating member being adjustable longitudinally of said plunger,and an operating arm adj ustably connected to said collar.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH M. MICHAELSON.

Witnesses F. D. MERCHANT, HARRY D. Kmconu.

